[unreadable] This is a conference grant application requesting partial support for symposium " Epidemiology and Genetics of Diabetes" sponsored by the International Diabetes Epidemiology Group (IDEG). This will be the 10th tri-annual IDEG symposium held traditionally as a satellite to the World Diabetes Congress of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). In 2006, the 19th IDF Congress takes place in Cape Town, South Africa, and will be preceded by the IDEG symposium held on Nov.30- Dec. 3 in the suburbs of Cape Town. There are 20.8 million people in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. The annual cost of diabetes in the U.S. exceeded $130, billion in 2002. The number of people with diabetes is increasing worldwide due to population growth, aging, urbanization, and increasing prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity. It is projected to rise from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million in 2030. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the world's regions where the greatest relative increases are expected to occur, from 13.6 million in 2003 to 27 million in 2025. The IDEG symposium, targeting audience of over 200 participants working in the fields of public health, diabetes prevention, epidemiology and genetics is an unique opportunity to bring together researchers, providers and health administrators from Africa and other regions of the world, especially the United States. As has previously been the case, the interactive environment of IDEG symposia will stimulate collaborative research efforts among the conferees and will identify the future critical goals for our understanding of the etiology and genetics of diabetes in ethnically diverse populations and the most promising approaches to diabetes prevention in industrialized and developing countries. The symposium organizers are placing special emphasize on recruiting into the field of diabetes research and prevention postgraduate trainees from Africa and other underprivileged regions. The symposium will open with a full day Diabetes Epidemiology Training Course, including 50 trainees and teaching faculty. Support is requested to partially cover cost of trainee participation in the course and in the IDEG symposium. The Organizing Committee is contacting the World Health Organization to help identify such professionals. Special effort will be made to support female trainees and accommodate persons with disabilities. The proposed symposium sponsored by the International Diabetes Epidemiology Group and a satellite to the International Diabetes Federation Congress is a unique opportunity to bring together diabetes researchers, providers and health administrators from Africa and other regions of the world, including the US. The number of people with diabetes is increasing worldwide to 366 million in 2030. The symposium will stimulate collaborative research efforts, identify the critical goals for our understanding of the etiology and genetics of diabetes and the most promising approaches to diabetes prevention in industrialized and developing countries. [unreadable] [unreadable]